Open AccessPharmacogenetics and Other Reasons Why Drugs Can Fail in Pregnancy
Author(s) -
David M. Haas,
Mary E. D’Alton
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
obstetrics and gynecology (new york. 1953. online)/obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.664
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1873-233X
pISSN - 0029-7844
DOI - 10.1097/aog.0b013e3182698538
Subject(s) - medicine , pharmacogenetics , pregnancy , drug , pharmacology , clinical pharmacology , intensive care medicine , pharmacotherapy , drugs in pregnancy , personalized medicine , therapeutic drug monitoring , bioinformatics , fetus , biochemistry , chemistry , genetics , biology , genotype , gene
Changes in maternal physiology during pregnancy can alter the absorption, distribution, and clearance of many drugs. When presented with a clinical situation in which it does not appear that a prescribed drug is working, clinicians must either change drugs or increase the dose of the current drug to achieve the desired clinical effect. A case highlighting antihypertensive medication in pregnancy and the effect of changed drug-metabolizing enzymes is presented. Understanding pregnancy's effect on drug-metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and receptors can help clinicians make individualized pharmacotherapeutic decisions for patients. Pharmacogenetics potentially can aid clinicians in treating pregnant women in the future as more data are generated and individualized therapeutic models are constructed.